UNESCO team visits Kalka-Shimla rail section

Shimla, December 11

Reactive monitoring mission of UNESCO for the Kalka-Shimla railway today visited Shimla to check the heritage conservation of station, station building and surroundings on the level of world heritage measures.

Two members Hiyashi (Japan) and Peterson Michael (Australia) of reactive monitoring mission of UNESCO visited the Kalka-Shimla heritage section. The team observed the stations and stretches, including Kalka -Dharampur stretch, Barog (Barog tunnel, heritage building and old cafeteria), Kandaghat station, Bridge no 541 (arc gallery bridge of Kanoh), Taradevi and Shimla.

At Shimla they visited the station, including platform, station master office, superintendent office, old age postal bag tunnel, rail motor car turn table, Hays derail switch in yard for isolation and souvenir shop of rail museum.

Then they moved to Shimla extension by steam special from platform no 1 with old age steam loco KC520 of 1906 and withdrawn from service in 1971 but still in working condition.

The team also visited Baba Bhalku heritage rail museum at Shimla extension where Aditya Sharma, divisional mechanical engineer and joint director Kalka Shimla railway elaborated them each and every heritage item in the BBRM. — TNS